The invention relates to a motor vehicle having an operator control element for the operator control of a function of the motor vehicle, wherein the operator control element comprises an upwardly directed surface having a touchpad for the operator control of at least a first function of the motor vehicle.
In line with DE 101 39 693 A1, modern electronic devices in a vehicle, which are continually providing additional functions having more and more options, have been provided with multifunctional operator control elements, which can be used for the operator control of various functions of the connected devices, on account of the installation space for the associated operator control elements being limited. By way of example, EP 0 366 132 B1 thus discloses a multifunctional operator control device for motor vehicles which involves functional groups and individual functions being selected using a rotary switch, and which involves an ENTER function being able to be initiated, wherein one and the same bidirectional rotary switch is used for menu selection and individual function selection.
DE 200 20 227 U1 discloses a vehicle steering wheel having two operator control elements affixed to the steering wheel for the control of vehicle functions in a vehicle, wherein the operator control elements each comprise a touch-sensitive sensor area which produces an electronic signal when touched.
U.S. patent application 61/149,523 describes a motor vehicle having a steering wheel, wherein the motor vehicle comprises a first display integrated in the steering wheel for variably presenting information, a first touchscreen arranged above the first display for the input of commands, a second display integrated in the steering wheel so as to be physically separate from the first display for variably presenting information, and a second touchscreen arranged above the second display for the input of commands.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/699,689 describes a motor vehicle having a steering wheel, wherein the motor vehicle comprises a first display integrated in the steering wheel for variably presenting information, a first touchscreen arranged above the first display for the input of commands, a second display integrated in the steering wheel so as to be physically separate from the first display for variably presenting information, and a second touchscreen arranged above the second display for the input of commands.
DE 10 2006 024 252 A1 discloses a vehicle cockpit having a vehicle steering wheel which has a steering wheel exterior surface which is accessible to a user, wherein the steering wheel is in a form such that it can be used to sense finger movements on the steering wheel exterior surface, with an evaluation circuit being provided for generating evaluation signals which, as such, are related to the finger movement and the position of the finger on the steering wheel.
DE 10 2006 019 065 A1 discloses an input interface for a vehicle cockpit which, as such, comprises a gearshift, wherein the gearshift has a knob which forms a finger support surface, with a sensing device being provided for generating an output signal according to the position of a finger on the finger support surface.
WO 2005/025942 A2 discloses a capacitive touch sensor in a motor vehicle.
DE 103 41 016 A1 discloses a rotary/push control having an annular rotary encoder, which has an inner ring and a rotary ring, which can rotate around the inner ring about an axis, with a handle and which is arranged so as to be able to be displaced linearly along the axis relative to a housing, and having a touchpad which is arranged in an interior of the annular rotary encoder and can be displaced linearly along the axis together with the annular rotary encoder relative to the housing, wherein the linear displacement of the handle and/or of the touchpad allows a pushbutton switch function to be initiated.
It is an object of the invention to improve or simplify the operator control of a motor vehicle. In this case, it is particularly desirable that the driver is distracted as little as possible from what is happening in the traffic even during the operator control of complex devices. Operator control of a motor vehicle should be able to be effected very quickly, in particular.